The Desperate Hour Review: Karen Fantasy Thriller Exploits Real-World Tragedies

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Clumsy, tasteless and deeply stupid, The Desperate Hour crosses the line between social commentary and exploitation, using a school shooting — something that happens far too frequently in America — as a cheap tactic to create stakes. Naomi Watts stars as Amy Carr, a character audiences are clearly meant to see as an empathetic «super mom,» one whose dedication to protecting her son is admirable and compelling. Unfortunately, director Phillip Noyce and screenwriter Chris Sparling fail to write a believable story. As a result, Amy comes across less like a loving mother caught in a horrible situation and more like a thoroughly entitled and self-centered «Karen.» Ultimately, The Desperate Hour is a thriller devoid of thrills that leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.

The Desperate Hour is a story about a school shooting, but from the perspective of a worried parent. The movie opens with a brief sequence in Amy's home introducing the family dynamic and establishing background information. Amy is the mother of a young daughter, Emily (Sierra Maltby), and a teenage son, Noah (Colton Gobbo). Their father died tragically the year before, and Noah is struggling with his mental health. After telling her son to go to school, Amy goes for a run, shifting the narrative to the woods, where the majority of the movie takes place.

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There's very little plot in The Desperate Hour, which brings attention to just how poorly developed the story and pacing are. The main conflict driving the narrative is that Amy is in the woods running when she learns about the school shooting, and she needs to determine where her son is and if he's safe. She acts as though it's not an